Early education should be for all

In May, our Legislature handed a decisive blow to the governor’s early-education initiative by reducing funds from $25 million to $6 million, well aware that the current junior kindergarten program will be eliminated.

This displaces up to 5,100 eligible children for the coming year.

The $6 million will expand Pre-School Open Doors, a private child-care program which will serve only a small percent. State Sen. Jill Tokuda, who once said that "early childhood education is one of the greatest equalizers we can give our children," sees this meager offering as a beginning.

Next November, voters will decide if we want to use public money for private preschools. What happened to a publicly funded universal preschool?

Education is not a privilege, but a necessity. The benefits and success rates are enormous. At the very least, reinstate junior kindergarten for next year. The future of Hawaii’s keiki depends on it.

Verna Victoria
Kailua

Carbone is asset to Cancer Center

Quality long-term planning, along with steady leadership from our Legislature, governor and University of Hawaii could transform Hawaii into the paramount biotechnology venue of the Pacific.

Yet despite a paucity of such support, Dr. Michele Carbone, the embattled director of UH’s Cancer Center, succeeds.

I first met Carbone on a flight from the mainland about five years ago.In light of similar interests, we chatted the entire flight. Since then, our paths have crossed only intermittently, but I’ve admired his work from afar, marveling at how successful he’s been in our "whack-a-mole" state.

Bottom line: UH is wise to support Carbone rather than give in to those who too often successfully trash top-quality outsiders who refuse to abide mediocrity. In science, excellence demands excellence.

Workplace comity is nice, but it too often is a guise to protect substandard performance.

Hawaii is fortunate to have Carbone. I hope we don’t run him off.

Michael P. Rethman
Kaneohe

Personal attacks are troubling

Nanea Kalani’s "UH backs Center Center’s embattled director" (Star-Advertiser, Dec. 19) includes personal attacks against Dr. Michele Carbone, which we find troubling.

We became major donors to the Cancer Center when Carbone was appointed director. Prior to his leadership, we had been solicited as donors but felt the existing center was an unimpressive organization with a sub-par facility and mediocre researchers.

Since his appointment, Hawaii has a state-of-the-art facility and has attracted world-class researchers. Most are enthusiastic supporters of his. He has hosted three Nobel laureates at the center and has two additional laureates scheduled to visit in February.

Exceptional performers like Carbone set very high standards. Not all are prepared or capable of meeting those standards. Every organization can improve its operations and UH should encourage all faculty and administrators to work together to make the jewel of our Cancer Center that Carbone has created even better.

Barry and Virginia Weinman
Kahala

Twas the night before bus ads …

The pralines are cooled, the cookies waiting to be decorated, I glanced out my window and what to my wondering eye did appear but a city bus passing by.

As I blinked, I saw in my imagination an advertisement that said, "Your ad here," in letters a foot high with a photo of the mayor, grinning at me with holiday cheer.

And I thought I heard him say, as he flowed out of sight, "Seasons greetings to all, and call me for rates."

Leigh Prentiss
Kailua

Policy on sirens must be changed

Thanks to Dr. Gary Johnson for his commentary regarding Honolulu siren policy ("Use of lights and sirens ineffective, even harmful," Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Dec. 18).

He is entirely correct that the extreme noise emitted from the emergency medical services and fire department sirens and horns causes unnecessary stress for patients being transported and residents nearby.

Medical studies show that noise in this decibel range can lead to measurable brain distress, an increase in heart arrhythmia and strokes.

At night, thousands of residents and visitors are frequently awakened from sleep by blasting sirens and horns. Often, the streets are completely empty of vehicles or people.

During the day, drivers can panic trying to figure out how to respond to this audible assault. I once watched an overwhelmed motorist drive onto the sidewalk.

This excess noise may be policy, but it is a disrespectful and inconsiderate policy at best.

History is full of policies that proved to be counterproductive and were changed. This one should join the list.

Charles Carroll
Waikiki

Kudos to Shoji for job well done

I would like to commend the University of Hawaii women’s volleyball team for another successful season.

Though losing to Brig-ham Young University in the second round of the NCAA regionals, it achieved what many other teams can only wish for.

Coach Dave Shoji and his assistants deserve credit for a job well done.

Roy M. Chee
Moanalua Gardens

UH Wahine earn national respect

Congratulations to Emily Hartong for continuing the long line of University of Hawaii Wahine All Americans, and to Coach Dave Shoji for leading the nation in volleyball excellence.

Still, volleyball is a team game, requiring the participation of everyone on the court, regardless of personality conflicts or egos.

Hopefully, next year, UH will feature a middle attack to complement the outside.

Leslie Au
Makiki

Christ missing from city display

As we do every year, our ohana went to see the Honolulu City Lights at Honolulu Hale.

It was very beautiful, as always, and the kids had fun.

The major flaw every year, however, is the fact that there is no trace, no reference whatsoever, to Christ. There were Christmas lights, but no Christ anywhere.

You see all kinds of characters there, including Mickey Mouse and the Cat in the Hat. There’s nothing wrong with them, other than that none of them are the character for which this season has been historically celebrated for 18 centuries.

Yes, I can hear some voices already whining out there. The bottom line, however, is the stripping from our culture of an otherwise harmless but uplifting tradition of the Western World for the sake of political correctness.

Our society is getting used to this nonsense.

Alejandro Cifuentes
McCully